The Worlds best known Photographer and Historian of Murals sends his message of encouragment.

James Prigoff is an author, photographer and lecturer on the subject of worldwide urban murals. He is one of the most important photographers of aerosol art in the world. Jim has been documenting Street Art around the world for over thirty years. He has amassed one of the most comprehensive slide archives of mural photographs that exists in the world.

James kindly contacted The Liverpool Mural Project to say these kind and encouraging words about our plans for Liverpool in 2008.

Recently I received word of the proposed Beatles' mural project involving artists from Belfast and Liverpool. Danny Devenny is well known to me as an outstanding mural artist whose visual concepts and representations are always exciting to see. The project sounded quite significant on many levels. To my considerable surprise word came today that the project was not being funded as not being "edgy" enough. The mural message and images would be as cutting edge as the artists' and city determined they should be. But that is just the beginning. The project is certain to draw attention on a very extended basis creating an opening for the city to deal with historical imagery that will artistically enhance the city, but more importantly play a role in political education.

Philadelphia, PA, USA started its mural program with very modest local landscape imagery, some tributes to local "heroes" and an effort to paint over graffiti. With a larger vision, under the direction of Jane Golden, today Philadelphia has become the mural capital of the world with over 2700 murals covering a very broad spectrum of ideas, visions and people. It seems to me that Liverpool has a unique opportunity to start an exciting project with imagery that would be recognized anywhere on the planet.

Respectfully, James Prigoff

Author of: Twentieth Century Street Art Historian
Co-Author: Walls of Heritage - Walls of Pride - History of African American Murals
Spraycan Art - (over 200,000 copies sold to date)
Painting the Towns - Murals of California